What Came Before They Shot Him
by DreamsInBlackAndWhite
Summary: A Disappearance, a Death, a Demolition and a Dead Man's Return. All these things were the product of the turmoil that stemmed from the rise of The Crystal Moon.
1. Disappearance

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Alex Rider series.**

Rocheford Police Department Missing Person Report For:

ALEXANDER JOHNATHAN RIDER

Case Number: **289102**

Last seen: **2/10/2001**

Description: **Alexander "Alex" Rider** is fourteen years old and of Caucasian heritage. He is 5'7" and fair haired with brown eyes. Rider is well-built but slim and has a birthmark on his left shoulder. Rider is athletic and was last seen wearing his school uniform. Uniform consists of grey jumper, blue and yellow striped tie and grey trousers.

Rider was last seen at precisely eleven minutes past noon. Witnesses report that Rider was very distressed. Rider got up and ran from the school in the middle of his third period class. His teacher, a **Michael Dent**, confirmed that Rider had been fidgety and restless throughout class. Dent also described Rider as being distracted and distant.

Rider was last seen by school secretary, a **Jane Bedfordshire**, who pursued Rider out of the school but lost sight of him as he exited the grounds.

Rider's housekeeper/guardian described his behaviour of recent times as "unusual". She also stated that in past weeks Rider had become distant and withdrawn. She described him as having "Pulled back from me and his friends". She stated that Rider had "Started spending a lot of time in his room. He'd play loud music that I didn't even know he liked. His room was always freezing cold too".

Rider's friend, a **Tom Harris**, described how Rider had drifted toward the wrong crowd in school. Harris alleged that one **Michael Ryan** had offered Rider drugs and described the two as being "all of a sudden thick as thieves".

Ryan has a police record and is known around the locality as "a smart-alec, pain in the neck, trouble making drug dealer". When confronted with Harris's allegations, Ryan stated that Rider had approached him looking for a favour. He said nothing else about the matter.

On the **9/10/2001**, several days after Rider's disappearance, **Sergeant Adam Flint (P4160)** found **a backpack (Exhibit A) containing a school tie (Exhibit B), a school jumper (Exhibit C) and a pair of black shoes (Exhibit D)**. All of the above have been confirmed as belonging to Rider. The evidence was uncovered on the Cochram Estate.

Flint also discovered **a black jacket (Exhibit E)** which Ms. Starbright confirmed did not belong to Rider.

Residents of the estate have so far proved totally uncooperative with investigations. **One woman, whose identity is unknown**, told **PC Samuel Davitt (P4231)** that she'd seen a boy matching Rider's description arguing with a blond man. Before PC Davitt could question the woman further, she was pulled away by a man who is reported to have told PC Davitt "Don't listen to her. She's had Alzheimer's for ten years. Raves half the time".

The woman is wanted for questioning. She is described as being **a Caucasian female, between the age of eighty and ninety with white hair.**

Rider is to be approached with caution.

**CASE FILE DEEMED TO BE COMPROMISING OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE CLOSURE TO POLICE GRANTED BY A. BLUNT (MISO) ON THE 11/10/2001. CASE TO BE INVESTIGATED BY MISO DETECTIVES.**

**QUERY. WHY HAS THIS FILE NOT BEEN REMOVED FROM THE SYSTEM? TO BE DONE IMMEDIATLY. RIDER INVESTIGATION GRANTED PRIORITY 1 STATUS. RIDER IS TO BE FOUND ASAP. BLUNT.**

Alan Blunt rubbed his eyes wearily and closed his laptop. Alex Rider's disappearance was disturbing, to say the least. His mind was whirling rapidly, turning over ideas constantly, crossing out possibilities.

The police had butchered the case. If he'd had his way, the file would've been seen by four people. Instead, half of Rocheford Police Deparment had seen it and had most likely spread around the news. Alan had come to a few ideas on the case already.

Ryan would be put through an interrogation process. It was harsh, but necessary. Rider's behaviour would be investigated thoroughly. That woman on the Cochram Estate would come forward whether she liked it or not. And Alex Rider would be found.

Blunt smirked to himself. He'd always liked a challenge.

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_Finished. Next chapter won't be up for three weeks, at least. Plenty of time for you to review (hinthint nudgenudge)._


	2. Death

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Alex Rider series.**

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11/10/2001 - COPY OF LETTER FORWARDED BY THE NSA. LETTER WAS INTERCEPTED ON THE 10/10/2001. TO BE VIEWED ONLY BY THOSE OF LEVEL TWO CLEARANCE AND ABOVE.

_Mom,_

_This is the hardest letter I've ever had to write. I'm crying a lot right now, so if the ink gets smudged don't worry. I miss you so much right now. More than ever before. You'd know what to do. And right now, I'm lost without you. Something horrific has happened._

_Alex is gone. You remember Alex, don't you? The blond boy who I'm guardian of. You met him last Christmas. His uncle is the man who hired me when I arrived in England for the first time. He's gone. Just gone._

_He ran off in the middle of school one day. I nearly died of shock when the principal rang. I thought he'd come home. But he still hasn't turned up. He disappeared eight days ago. _

_And yesterday they found his school uniform on a housing estate. With a black jacket that didn't belong to him._

_So something is very wrong. Alex isn't the type to just leave. And now rumours are flying around. Nasty stuff. That he was taking drugs. And smoking. And drinking. That doesn't sound like Alex at all. But maybe I just don't know Alex like I thought I did._

_I don't know. I just don't know anymore._

_I'm living in terror, mom. The house is so big and echoey with no-one else to make noise to rebound off mine. I wake up in the middle of the night, thinking I hear him. I rush downstairs and there's nothing. I've been leaving the door open at night in case he comes back. I sleep with one of Ian's old golf clubs beside my bed, just in case anyone breaks in. _

_I can't really write everything I want to tell you, mom. There's a lot more to the story. But some things are better said face to face. _

_So i'm coming home, mom. I don't feel safe here. I'm jumping at shadows. And I'm becoming a nervous wreck. I'm going to give Alex five more days. But then I'm going back to America. Of course I'll still be looking for Alex. I'll hire a private detective. If he turns up, he can follow me out to America. He knows my mobile number. _

_I have things you need to hear. Things I need to tell somebody. But I won't say it now. That could put you in danger._

_Don't worry mom. I'm coming home to you and dad._

_Could you put me up for a few nights in your place while I try to get set up with an apartment? It'd really take a weight of my mind. Call me as soon as you can. You know my mobile number too. It's in that little brown address book you keep by the phone._

_I've got to go and book a last minute flight now. I hope you get this pretty quick; I'm sending it by special post._

_Buckets and buckets of love,_

_Jack_

**LETTER WRITTEN BY ONE JACK STARBRIGHT, CURRENTLY RESIDING IN LONDON.**

**STARBRIGHT ON EDGE. TO BE INTERVIEWED IMMEDIATELY. FLAG AS NO FLY WITH AIR-PORTS. PHONE TAP AUTHORIZED. TAIL TO BE PLACED.**

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**12/10/2001- CONVERSATION TRANSCRIPT RECORDED BY MI5 AGENT WILLIAM GRANT. **

Starbright - "Mom, my passport's been flagged. I can't get out".

(Starbright weeping into phone)

Presumably mother, to be referred to as B - "Calm down sweetie. What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Starbright - "No mom, I'm not. I'm not. I can't fly. The airports won't accept my passport".

B - "What? Why?"

Starbright - "Mom, I have to tell you something. Alex was used by the Government".

B - "Alex? The boy who's vanished? Wait, what?"

Starbright - "Alex was being-

**AT THIS POINT, AGENT GRANT DISCONNECTED THE LINE. HOUSE PHONE WAS ALSO DISABLED. REQUEST. TERMINATION WARRANT FOR STARBRIGHT.**

**GRANTED. TO BE UNDERTAKEN IMMEDIATLY. STARBRIGHT TO BE DEAD BY MORNING. AUTHORIZED. BLUNT.**

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**13/10/2001 - MI5 BRIEFING FILE FOR AGENTS HUGHES AND MIKELSON.**

TARGET: Starbright, Jack.

TARGET DESCRIPTION: Starbright is 28 years old. Red-haired. Further description is unnecessary. She is currently the only occupant of the house.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Entrance to be made through front door, which is to be kicked in. Scene to resemble break in. Possessions to be stolen. Starbright sleeps through the first door on the left at the top of the staircase. To be stabbed in sleep.

Golf club will be beside bed. Starbright's finger prints to be left on grip. To be made look as though she fought her attacker.

BRIEFING TO BE DESTROYED IMMEDIATELY AFTER READ.

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_Not all the chapters will be written like this. If it annoys you though, I should point out that there will be more ones like it to come. Maybe this story's not for you._

_I'd like a review to know what you think._

_DIBAW._


	3. Demolition

**_I am so very sorry my poor reviewers. You've been neglected of late. But fear not. I have now got in place a system for updating. From now on I will be updating WCBTSH every Saturday. That's right. Every single Saturday. You guys deserve a bit of consistency._**

**_This chapter is dedicated to MML94. If anybody can fake a news article, it's you._**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Alex Rider series.**

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ARTICLE TAKEN FROM THE FOUR WATERS GAZETTE ON OCTOBER 15TH OF 2001

Construction workers in Four Waters will embark on a project this weekend to demolish the infamous 'Humming Bird Tower' on Mitchell Avenue. The scheme forms part of a wider redevelopment scheme for Four Waters town centre, which is due to be officially launched on November 25th.

Councillor Michael Ray, the council's cabinet member of transport and regeneration, has said that the tower is "no longer necessary".

"The thing has become a bit of an eyesore in the town centre, to be honest. A bastion of crime and poverty. We will be relocating every single resident of the tower to other, higher quality homes as part of the council's new reform of urban regeneration. We predict that with the support of the local metropolitan police that we've been receiving we can make this transition smoothly and decimate crime figures in the area. Residents, businesses and visitors to the town have commented positively about the ongoing improvement works and this is one of the many pieces of redevelopment we have going on" he explained.

When asked about the recent reports of missing teenager, Alexander Rider (pictured below), being spotted by construction workers in one of the disused flats in Humming Bird Tower Mr. Ray replied as follows. "There is no concrete evidence to support that Alex Rider was spotted in the Tower. Obviously, working closely with the police, we've already co-ordinated a full search of the building. It's been confirmed that nobody has been in the closed off section of the tower for weeks. These reported sightings have been ruled out as mistaken identities having been investigated".

Road closures will come into effect during the demolition work, with a lane being closed on Mitchell Avenue from today (October 15th) until November 24th.

The entire road will be closed between November 18th and 19th to allow the demolition work to be carried out.

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FOUR WATERS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT MISSING PERSON'S ALERT THAT WAS SENT TO ROCHEFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT ON OCTOBER 17TH 2001

POSSIBLE SIGHTING OF ALEXANDER JOHNATHAN RIDER.

Case Number: **289102**

STATEMENT BY A MR. **Jason Rachid **LODGED ON OCTOBER 12TH 2001

I was working in Flat 24A on October the twelfth with my partner, **Chris Reynolds**, and Chris told me he left screw diver on the landing. I offered to get it for him and went out, bending over to pick it up and stopping to tie my shoelace.

I heard a rustle and looked up. There was a blond teenage boy at the other end of the landing. He was maybe 5"6 or 5"7 and had brown eyes. He was rubbing the back of his head when I looked up and he met my gaze for a minute.

He had a bit of blood on his chin and forehead and a black eye. His hair was in a mess and quite dirty. His face had what looked like muck on it. I recognized him straight away from the news because my wife was very worried by the story as we have a son the same age. He was wearing a red t-shirt that looked too big, like a man's. He had grey tracksuit bottoms that were, again, too big and he had no shoes on. His feet were filthy.

His eyes were very groggy and he looked a bit out of it. I got up slowly, trying not to startle him. As soon as I was on my feet he turned and sprinted away, falling against the wall twice as if he was drunk. I followed but the floor gave way beneath me and by the time I'd crossed there was no sign of him.

**POSSIBLE SIGHTING OF RIDER. FILE TO BE DESTROYED FROM THE MAIN POLICE FRAME AND INVESTIGATED PRIVATELY. BLUNT.**

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**_I've just realized I've not answered any questions from the last chapter. I've just given you some new ones. Oh well. Don't worry. Answers will come. And soon. Every Saturday from now on, in fact. I hope you enjoyed._**

**_Thank you for reading (and possibly reviewing)._**


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